Marching Styles

[DarkHorse24]

I loved the old BD marching technique through the 80's and early 90's. It was very similar to what they do now except there was a lead off with the knee instead of the heel. Very cool and relaxed looking (watch 88 or 91 for good examples of this). When Todd Ryan came aboard the only thing he really changed was the step off using a straight leg instead of the knee. The old technique was easy to define, but harder to clean once the drill became faster. I'm sure they've further refined the technique book in the ten years since I've been there, but they're still the cleanest and most refined in downstairs marching IMO.

Agreed. I think the "straight leg" corps look cleaner from the waste down from person to person.

[VolcomRemoved]

I like the semi-bent knee technique myself, much more flowing and natural-looking.

[aatlb25]

I can watch BD's show from waist down, and never get bored. Appearance is everything.

[Slow Adam]

BD and Cadets.

[PioSop06]

I march a semi-bent knee in band, which it's a bit easier to march faster, but harder to clean. The straight-leg is good, and I like both.

[BlooooContra]

This has always been my favorite discussion topic ever since I nearly did a thesis on it and had to do all that research before ::ahem:: scrapping it. lol

I think the activity is naturally evolving towards a more relaxed, bent knee overall. With the drill demand increasing by leaps and bounds on even a season-to-season basis, it's happening out of necessity.

Watch Cavaliers and Bluecoats this upcoming season. Quite possibly the two most difficult ensemble visual books I've ever seen. No way would that drill be possible with the ultra straight legged style that was popular in the 90s. That kind of drill is impossible to execute while maintaining a straight leg to that degree. Before you argue, open up a physiology book, then do multiple seasons teaching both straight leg and Cavalier style, as well as marching multiple seasons with varying degrees of knee bend allowed. Please, hold arguments until you've met all 3 of these. :)

Mind you, I'm a total functionality lobbyist when it comes to technique. I absolutely love the look of BD, but I don't realistically expect someone to keep that technique perfect throughout an entire show and march drill that's as tough as the shows listed above while still being able to play a horn well. Having done and taught both, having that little natural shock absorber in the knee is much more conducive to playing.

I'd really like to get the perspective on straight knee vs. relaxed knee from someone who has marched drill with 200ish sets that meets the kind of difficulty standards that 01 Cavaliers, 03 SCV, 05 Bluecoats, 04 Cavaliers, etc. have set. These are the kids that are going to start teaching in the activity soon and eventually deciding where the marching trends in DCI will be headed in the future.

Any thoughts (and not the kind that are just "I marched X technique in 19XX/20XX and that's all I know and that's all I like!!!")? B)

[TheLurch]

I love BD and Cadets style of marching. Our last and current marching instructors marched BD and Cadets (respectively). So, I'm all about the straight-leg. I also think it looks WAAYY better marching backwards straight-leg than it does bent.

[dbc03]

No way would that drill be possible with the ultra straight legged style that was popular in the 90s. That kind of drill is impossible to execute while maintaining a straight leg to that degree. Before you argue, open up a physiology book, then do multiple seasons teaching both straight leg and Cavalier style, as well as marching multiple seasons with varying degrees of knee bend allowed. Please, hold arguments until you've met all 3 of these. :)

First, the inability to keep a straight leg while doing some of that drill is the reason that jazz running exists. I've never seen a corps try to jazz run with straight legs, and that includes the Cadets.

Second, the technique that 'straight leg' corps use isn't as peg legged as some of you guys make it out to be. There is a bend in the knee in all corps. When using the straight leg technique the idea is to minimize the bend, and have straight legs on the downbeat. The pants do the rest to hide the bend and make it look like 'straight legs.' It's not nearly as stressful on the knees or unnatural as some people like to think it is. I think the part of drum corps that is bad on the knees is the running around the field like a maniac for 8 hours a day for 3 months despite the marching technique.

As for my personal (biased) opinion on marching styles... I like my drum corps like I like my hair cut... with scissors!

[dciguy01]

I definitely prefer the Cavaliers style of marching with bent knee. Take it from me. I've marched both styles in my 3 years of corps (having an all Cavie staff in '02). The bent knee allows you to travel long distances much, much easier than the straight leg crap that is far from natural. Oh, to answer the one guys question about knee problems... I just had knee surgery in December to repair a torn meniscus (cartilidge) that was ultimately a result of drum corps among other things. :(

Edited June 2, 2006 by dciguy01

[JayM]

Because of my background, I prefer bent-knee.

I think most people don't understand exactly how the Cavalier style works, honestly. The emphasis is not at all on the knee bend. It is a byproduct of the style.

The knee bend comes about because of the roll-up in the back. In most marching styles, the marcher will articulate with his/her heal, and then roll completely down to the toe. In the Cavalier style, this is done as well, but in addition to the roll-down, the marcher will continue to roll through until his/her toe is pointing at the ground.

As for which style is more natural? The answer seems pretty clear to me. The Cavalier style is an exaggerated version of walking. Try it. Walk. You will naturally roll up in the back, and the knee tends to lead the step. How many people do you see walking around with their knee as straight as can be on the pass?

Same with backward marching. How many people, when they walk backwards, stand up on their toes? Not many. It's more of a mushily defined articulation with the front of the foot and a roll-down in the back. Again, an exaggerated version of walking.

There is more movement involved in bent-knee than straight-leg, yes, but it tends to be more natural movement. Because of the extra movement, it tends to be a bit my physical than straight-leg. I know this personally because I got bored in college marching band one day and marched a run-through in Cavalier style (we march BD style) and I was worn out by the middle of the show because I was out of practice.

As for the Cavaliers feet being a mess....really? I could swear they've won the visual performance caption just a few times in recent years.

I also understand that people can generally not be convinced to like something different than what they were brought up learning in their corps, so I don't expect to change any minds here. However, I hope I have clarified some things.